10 Really Easy Ways to Unclog Drains

We all know the warning signs. The sink takes a little longer to drain. You begin to notice water pooling around your feet in the shower. And the odors. The strange, unpleasant odors. They're all signs that you may soon be facing a clogged drain. And then one day, boom. Your drain is blocked completely. It's something you need to deal with quickly, or face the wrath of a burst pipe or a useless bathroom.

So you remove the excess hair and gunk that has built up at the surface of the drain. And nothing happens. You try some liquid plumber. No good. Then, the plunger. But what happens when it doesn't come to the rescue? Here are 10 ways to deal with the blockages before resorting to that expensive emergency plumber. (See also: 5 Household Fixes You Should Stop Paying Others For)

1. The Bent Wire Hanger

Simple enough, but surprisingly effective. Take a regular wire coat hanger and straighten it out as best you can. Then, bend one end over to create a small hook. Push that past the drain cover and start fishing. You should be able to get all sorts of hair and nasty stuff out of the drain. Remember, you always want to be pulling gunk out, not pushing it further. When you've got as much out as you can, run the hot water, and it should clear things up nicely.

2. Baking Soda and Vinegar

Mix 1/3rd of a cup of baking soda with 1/3rd of a cup of vinegar in a measuring cup. It will fizz immediately, and you should waste no time pouring it down the clogged drain. The fizzing action will help to remove the gunk, hair, and grime that has built up in the pipe. Let it sit for one hour or even overnight if you can. Flush with hot water. Alternatively, get as much of the dry baking soda as you can down the drain first, then pour on the vinegar. (See also: 30 Household Products Vinegar Can Replace)

3. The Wet & Dry Vacuum

If you have a wet & dry shop vacuum, it can become a terrific tool to unclog drains. First, set it to vacuum liquids. Cover up the vent to prevent a mess. Then, create the tightest seal you can over the drain. You may want to get creative and adapt an old plunger head for this purpose. With the vacuum turned on its highest setting, it can be powerful enough to draw the clog up the pipe and into the vacuum bag. It doesn't always work, but it's worth a shot.

4. Boiling Water

Tips don't get any easier than this. Put the kettle on (or use the stove or microwave if you don't own a kettle) and boil up as much water as it will hold. Now pour it slowly down the drain in two to three stages, allowing the hot water to work for a several seconds in between each pour. This is usually the easiest and quickest way to unclog a drain. If there's any water left, congratulate yourself with a cup of tea.

5. Caustic Soda

Get some rubber gloves and eye protection. Caustic soda (also known as Sodium Hydroxide) can cause nasty chemical burns. You can pick some up from your local hardware store, but always use caution handling it. Pour 3/4 gallon of cold water into a mop bucket, and then add 3 cups of caustic soda. Stir it well with an old wooden spoon. It will begin to fizz and heat up. Pour it into the clogged drain and leave for 20-30 minutes, then flush the drain with boiling water. Repeat if necessary.

6. Cleaning the Pipe

There are some plumbing jobs that I won't do, but this one is easy. First, place an empty bucket underneath the U-shaped pipe (the trap) beneath the sink. The bucket will collect the water that will spill. Using a plumber's wrench, loosen the slip nuts at both ends of the pipe. You should be able to finish the operation by hand. When the trap is free, remove it and turn it upside down, emptying the contents into the bucket. You may also need to fish around inside it for debris, and do the same with the pipes that were holding it. An old toothbrush is good for getting the tough gunk out. Rinse the trap with water and then put it all back together. In most cases, that will have done the trick.

7. The Drain Snake

This is a fairly low-tech piece of equipment that works wonders. It's basically a long flexible metal rope with a spiral of metal at the end. The following video shows you just what to do.

8. Salt and Baking Soda

Mix 1/2 cup of table salt with 1/2 cup of baking soda and pour down the blocked drain. Leave it for 10-20 minutes, then pour boiling water down. The salt, baking soda, and boiling water will produce a chemical reaction that should dissolve some of the nastiest blockages. (See also: 27 Uses for Baking Soda)

9. Dish Detergent

If your toilet is clogged, pour 1/4 cup of dish detergent in the bowl. Then boil some water. The dish soap will act as a lubricant and help break up any greasy residue. Then pour the hot water down, and get ready to start plunging. If the plunger doesn't cut it, rubber gloves may be the next option.

10. Baking Soda, Vinegar, Gravity, and Pressure

If your bath drain is clogged, mix up some of the baking soda/vinegar mentioned in tip two. Pour it down the drain, and then place the stopper over it. After 45-60 minutes, fill the bathtub with water. Then, remove the stopper. The pressure of 40-60 gallons of water should be enough to dislodge the blockage that has been loosened by the baking soda and vinegar. You could also try some plunging or the drain snake in conjunction with the weight of the water.

Those are 10 quick and easy tips that should help you deal with the most stubborn blockages. Do you have any great tips? Let us know.

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I bought a small plunger designed for sinks (the typical one would have been too big to create a seal and it's kind of gross to use one that you'd used in the toilet anyways), and that worked like a charm to unclog a drain that had been giving me fits since we moved in. I had tried many of the suggestions you listed as well as Drano and the standard fare. All provided temporary relief but it was the plunger which really did the trick. Warning #1: The plunger 'brought up' some particularly vile contents into the sink so be prepared to clean up. Warning #2: Using the plunger loosened up contents which not only backed up into the sink but also into the area that provides the overflow drain. You'll want to flush this with boiling water immediately to rinse the loosened up matter down. Still, it worked like a charm and draining a half-full basin went from a two minute process to roughly four seconds.

Because of your comment, I used my regular plunger, that I never use, on the sink. I spent 4 seconds on it like you and fixed the issue after messing with it with a coat hanger for 15 minutes. Many thanks!

But the best plan is to keep the drain from getting clogged to begin with. You can buy little rubber caps with perforations to fit over your drain. If you clean out the hair caught in it each time you bathe, you'll have many fewer clogs to clean out.

You missed Zip-It, it's a $3 piece of plastic with teeth on it, slide it down the drain all the way then slowly pull up. The teeth hook onto all the nastiness and pull it right up. I think they're supposed to be disposable, but if you just use a plastic bag to pull the gunk off in the opposite direction of the teeth, a quick soapy rinse and you can use the tool again and again. Fixed in 5 mins a drain issue I'd been battling with water/draino/etc... for years.

Also, if you have plastic pipes you do need to be careful about the hot water. Lengthy exposure to boiling water can be bad for the pipes.

And maintenance is key. Try to keep stuff (including hair) from falling in the drain, and clear the pipes occasionally to cut down on residue inside the pipes. I fill my sinks with hot water periodically, then open the drain to let it clear the drain. I also periodically use the baking soda/vinegar/hot water treatment to keep the drains clear.

virulant spider #6

I have owned a zip it and I will tell you how you can make your own if you can't locate one in your local retail hardware store. Besides, you might need it right now. You will probably be able to find what you need in the garbage bin of your local hardware store so don't leave without getting a handful. What is it you ask? The plastic strapping material used for boxes and lumber. It could be yellow or white thick plastic strapping material about 3/8 of an inch wide. The thicker the better. I recently pulled some from a box of paper and noticed it was thinner. Next just take your scissors and nick both sides of the strap with 1/4 inch cuts at an angle probably about a 75 degree angle all along the strip. Hopefully your strip is about 3 feet. Nick as much you want, making sure you don't cut through. When your done, and it will probably take you no more than 2 minutes to make your own, you will have a free "grip it" and you will have it for free. Works as well or better than the one you buy at the hardware store. The problem with the zip it is that you usually can't find it when you need it thus the homemade version I came up with. I refuse to buy something like that twice.

AnnJo #7

Now don't blame me if this goes wrong for you, but after trying most if not all of the above tips on a badly clogged bathroom sink, and resenting the payment of $150-250 for a plumber, I watched several videos on You-Tube about clearing and/or replacing sink traps and did it myself, slowly and carefully. It was startlingly easy. The trap was pretty stuffed, but there was also a fair amount of gunk in the pipe into the wall, which I could never have reached without removing the trap. The trap was fine, so I just reinstalled it. The clog was gone, there were no leaks, and the whole thing, including watching the videos, took about an hour and a half. I could have easily wasted a full morning or afternoon waiting for a plumber, so I not only saved money but time.

OK, when I needed to replace my water heater, I called a plumber (and learned from him how to check the expansion tank and drain sediment), but I've tackled several other plumbing problems in the last three years successfully, using You-Tube 'tutorials' to guide me.

Came home from a particularly stressful and active day only to see my idiot roommate plunging feverishly at the kitchen sink. I knew something was wrong with the sink earlier in the week and obviously it got worse. Anyway your solution is the only really viable one. After checking with neighbors and having no snake readily available, I decided the only real way was to open the trap itself. All it took was a socket ed 5/16 wrench to loosen the o clamps and when I loosened that trap what came out I'll never forget, neither will my roommate. It looked like a clogged artery with grease and hair and food. My roommate washes the dishes and often times I find food in the sink and I have to scoop it out. He also does not pour off grease from fry pans. Well he will now

One other really super handy tool you can use which has literally saved me over 1,000.00 on an outside drain, is a bladder type tool. It comes in different circumferances and attaches to a garden hose. You need to fit this bladder tool which has been attached to your hose down the drain pipe. Once in you turn on the water and wait for a few minutes till the bladder fills and the force of the water pushes the clog out. Before I found this tool, I spent 800.00 on 2 occasions having the plumber come out with his water jetting equipment to clear a clog in my extremely long run to the street. That bladder for the large outdoor pipe cost me 20.00. I used it a second time so it cost me a total of 20.00 for what would have cost me 1600.00 had I had to have that service performed. These tools are extremely effective if you get them down the right pipe. I had one case where I couldn't get into the bend so I had to get a plumber to come out. He pulled a huge wad of steel wool out of that pipe Every other time these bladders have been a life saver for me. The smaller sizes are cheaper, under 10.00 probably. They can be used over and over. Warning, the bladder has to fit inside the pipe so that the bladder can expand and fill the pipe hole so you have to use the appropriate size.

I do have one more. There is a product and I am sorry but I don't know the name of it, but it uses canned air to blast your way through the clog. I have found this product to be useful without the use of chemicals. It usually comes with more than one treatment to a can. I found one on amazon I won't name names, but Power Plumber Pressurized Drain cleaner is a search name you can use. The ones I had were named something else (can't remember) but I haven't seen them retail since I bought mine at a yard sale. I take drain cleaning as a multi pronged approach, you need several tricks in the bag for the drain you are working on. I am a landlord, so I try to keep available several options. Another tip I read somewhere was for a hair clog. The guy said his wife got her hair removal cream for her legs out and poured some in and that did the trick. so I guess I just gave 2 here.

That hair removal cream sounds genius. What kind of clog were they dealing with? Was it just for a sink clog or was it a clean out pipe or where was the clog? I used to have the drain stopper in my tub hooked up to this big metal thing that went down into the drain. It made it hard to plug the drain to take a bath so I finally removed it. Before I removed it I had to take it out from time to time and clean it off when the tub started draining slow. It would be full of hair that it caught when I pulled the plug to drain the tub. My hair sheds a lot, there would be so much hair I would have to cut it off. Ever since I took the stopper off that big metal piece inside the tub there is nothing catching the hair and the drain gets really clogged. So I started buying things to catch the hair to no avail. Nothing seems to work, we snaked the pipe from the roof and it worked for about a month and it is back to taking hours to drain. Seeing that the clog in pretty far down the pipes do you thing that the Nair would work?

The green clean alternative to unclogging drains: the Drain Genie. A quick, easy, low cost, green tool that attaches to a wet vac to clear drains without the use of harmful chemicals. Please see: http://draingenie.com/

Easy way is to get a tupperware cover (it's better if it is thin) then put it on the sink hole and start to pump. Remember, just like doing a CPR. PUSH HARD AND FAST. Repeat it and remove it quickly. Then check it if it works. and Voila! If it doesn't, don't give up. Keep it up! God bless!

Has anyone used this tool called DRAIN-FX? Does it have enough pressure to clear the clog? I can't use chemical drain cleaners because I am allergic to Sodium hydroxide and my landlord managed to unclog my bath tub a few times (too cheap to bring in a plumber)

I have used the drain clog removing tool Drain-FX. When my kitchen sink drain clogged with food, grease and hair, I initially tried removing the clog with plunger, but nothing happened then I also tried using the chemical mix Drano which was giving me a headache but that too didn't work out then I googled and found this product Drain-FX. It is so easy to use since it comes with a step by step instruction manual, all you have to do is connect the tool with your tap in the sink and let go the tap water, the tool then creates a pressure washer effect which flushes out all the clog that has accumulated in the drain, within minutes you will be able to see the water gushing out of your drain. I also bought one for my sink (Drain-FX Sinks) and another one for my tub (Drain-FX Plus). You can buy them from their website drain-fx.com). There is no chemicals, no plumbing charges and no mess or complications in using this tool it is so simple and easy to use.
Thanks,
Gabriella

Thanks for these tips, I never thought there were so many ways to deal with a clogged drain. Maybe I can give one of these a try instead of taking apart the trap next time. Do you think they would be beneficial for drain cleaning as a way to prevent blocks?

Thanks for the tips! I have one bathtub clogged with hair and one kitchen sink clogged with nasty food garbage, despite having bought and used drain catchers for both. The boiling water looks like it's going to work on both, though.

Vinegar and baking soda are, indeed, the most useful natural products for cooking and cleaning the house. Clogged drains can definitely cause flood that may turn the situation into a more serious one. So it is advisable to fix this immediately. Those pieces of advice are all beneficial to a lot of users. Thanks for sharing!

I'm surprised other than another reader commenting that using the plunger method isn't mentioned in this list. Whenever my tub clogs up, I block up the overflow hole with a wet towel and use a plunger to clear the drain. It works every time. Once I plunge out the drain and the water is flowing again, I put baking soda and vinegar in there and let it sit for a while. Living on the bottom floor of an older three story apartment complex, I get drain water from the above apartments in my kitchen sink and the tub tends to clog up once every few months. The first time, I had a plumber come in and fix it but when I saw what he did and how simple it was, no need to call again.

Perhaps this does not work very often because no one tells people to block the overflow/air holes. It makes sense why it would not work otherwise. Does this work for clogs in the trap or down the line or both? Does this work in both the sinks and the tubs? If I understand correctly the clog in question last time was just past the 25 foot augers reach to get the whole thing.

Thank you for the tips. The picture you painted at the beginning of this article describes my situation perfectly. Everything I've tried so far hasn't worked, but I'm hopeful that these drain cleaning tips will help me.

Wow, these are some really great tips for a first time home owner. I had no idea that boiling water could help unclog a drain. It seems like there area lot of different ways to clean your blocked drains.

Baking soda, salt, vinegar or lemon juice, boiling water and a plunger -- Voila ... that's all you need to fix that stubborn clog in your drain. I almost gave up but then I Google searched and found this webpage. Thank you for these tips. It sure worked after several attempts of using those ingredients and the plunger. Then after being persistent, the boiling water and ingredients slid down the pipes and everything worked in harmony with one another. Shortly after, I used the plunger and some arm muscles; the water then quickly drained down the sink like a charm and the problem was solved. If you have a lot of hair, junk or mess down the sink, you need to use more arm power to loosen that blockage with that wonderful plunger you bought and thought you would never use!

Wow..... I've Got a Clogged Bathroom Sink sometimes it will Go Down Very Slowly (Hours)most of Will you be mine Time For a FullDay Now I can't Get it to Go Down I Have Used a Plunger but it jus pulls black stuff up into the already stopped up water :( So Today Im Going To Fish out the already clogged water until no water an Try The Baking Soda An Vinegar- Salt last Hot water....... Thanks For The Tips I Jus Rent so Don't want To Spend Lots of $$$ Wish me Luck!!!! Any other ideas or Tips Welcomed :) an I'll Let u All Know My Results Thanks again

Jerry #37

This could be the best home made remedy, I had tried it and get the drain open. Cost effective and home made solution that gives best results.

Need a product that's effective on clogged drains? Try Drain-FX! It's a revolutionary DIY plumbing tool that turns your average faucet into a high pressure drain cleaner. Drain-FX is available for purchase at your local Home Depot, see in store for more details. Or, you can purchase online by visiting drain-fx dot com.

Oh wow, these are some pretty cool and common ideas that were provided when doing a drain cleaning. Some of these ideas are what I have been taught to do as well. The thing is, what will happen if the drain issue gets worse, would I need to call in the experts or find other solutions?

If the toilet is continuosly clogging you might have to take it off the seal and look inside. If the plunger, snake and bucket of water do not solve the problem and it is repetitive you likely had something fall into the toilet. It maybe a hairbrush, toothbrush, kids toy, that got lodged in the curve of the pipe that is making the clog reappear. That is what the guy at the hardware store told me was common and sure enough when we took it apart, there was a cleaning brush that had gotten in there somehow. Just remember if you take it apart you must have a new wax seal to put it back together. You can find instructions to take it apart on youtube. This is about a $2 cure with a little elbow grease, some mopping thrown in.

Suzi #45

I used a shop vac to suck out the bathroom drain. (No other solutions worked - draino, replaced trap, used a snake in the wall pipe, vinegar, plunger... I tried everything.)

At first I could not get a good seal. I even went to a few stores to see if they had a rubber adapter for the end of the hose. No luck.

I used kids' clay to make a seal around the drain to put the end of the vacuum hose in. It worked like a charm!!! And my sink actually drains - for the 1st time in 6 weeks.

Paul, what tip would you offer to someone who has an issue with a toothbrush or anything that falls down the drain and ends up being stuck? Right now, I'm facing with this type of situation that's causing a huge draining problem for me. My wife has been trying to get her toothbrush out of the hole but it just won't come out. Hopefully it doesn't get worse to the extent of us calling up a plumber to help us out. http://www.drking.com.au/about-us

I had a very stubborn slow drain in my bathroom, and after several attempts at using drain cleaner, I found that the 1/2 cup baking soda and 1/2 cup vinegar seemed to break up the buildup better, followed by 2 pots of boiling hot water and a few minutes of using a plunger. You have to stuff a wash cloth in the overflow hole at the rear of the sink in order to get enough power, but next thing I knew, the clog released and I was so relieved. Especially after Roto Rooter told me the night before that they were going to charge me $300 to snake out the pipe - NO WAY! I'm now a fan of the baking soda vinegar treatment and will use that in between to cut down on the toothpaste buildup, worked for me! Thanks for the advice!

Thank you for this info. I had poured two bottles of strong declogger down a bathtub with no improvement in slow drain. Today I did the baking soda & vinegar, then later tried it again, this time filling up the top & draining water after 40 min. Now its draining well!!!

After spending 14.00 on two bottles of Drano realized it was the toilet drain not the shower drain that was clogged. Tryed your suggestion for Dish soap and very warm water. Worked almost instantly. Thank you very much!!!!!
I'm a taker and a giver so I will share that if you live in an old home were tree roots that can interfere with drainage I read years ago that as a maintenance pratice throwing several hands fills of rock salt into your toilet bowl helps disolve smaller tree roots that can develop and interfere with drainage.

I have been a handyman and now plumber for over 27 years. I am concerned that the advice above will cause tenants and homeowners trouble in the near and long term future. Primarily, I take issue with the coat hanger, caustic soda, and the hot boiling water methods.

1) i have seen my share of broken p-traps as a result of overzealous coat hangering.
2) caustic soda can blind .... especially if one tries it in conjunction with baking soda and vinegar or even coke and mentos... a gas bubble can develop and blow back caustic soda ... google warnings for liquid plumbr or draino and see the potential injuries that can result. such chemicals can also cause damage to pipes ... corroding them or at least making them weaker for some future coat hanger to puncture. Leaks in the wall are far worse in terms of damage and overall hazard (mold, dryrot, structural issues) than those you can see and easily get to.
3) the boiling water "trick" is actually one of the worst. warm water or hot tap water is ok.. but boiling hot water can damage the seals on drain pipes in the wall as they expand... again, the damage you can't see/the leaks you caused that you can't see are arguably worse than the clog you tried to fix... There is good reason why cookbooks tell you to run the cold water into the sink when draining pasta water that was just boiling on the range top. PLUS... there is a wax ring that tends to melt or leak after someone tries to use boiling hot water to clear a toilet. The subfloor will begin to suffer water damage, warp, mold/mildew, create an uneven base for the toilet in the future so more leaks occur, and anyone in the floor below will now become your worst enemy. It's irresponsible to pour hot boiling water down a drain or toilet... PERIOD.

Baking soda and salt did NOT work for me. Made everything much, much worse. A slow drain became a total clog. Tried plunger, filled sink with black muck. Poured a whole bottle of Drano, no change. Bummer...

The boiling water worked so well for all that may have an issue. I went and got some professional liquid plumber and sulphuric acid in the plumbing section from Lowes, then waited about an hour, and poured it down all my sinks, tubs, and shower. I had alot of boiling water. Remember to keep replenishing it and keep pouring behind the drain cleaner. It worked and mine had backed up in my tub and shower. Save me a call to the plumber.